Trebbiano di Romagna (DOC) is an ancient pedigreed wine which goes well with Romagna seafood dishes (first introduced by the Etruscans who came from Asia Minor and who lived in what is modern Tuscany and were in power from 8th - 5th century BC. Language is now dead but the wine isn't. It is a straw yellow rich and harmonious dry wine.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Amerigo Vespucci born in Florence, Italy, in Tuscany, was an Italian voyager who traveled in the second half of the 15th century across the oceans.

What did Tuscans eat and drink in the 1400's?

Firstly, the Tuscan menu is simple but everything must be fresh!!

pasta

ravioli

wines

fegatelli (liver sausage)

(salt free) Panne Toscano (made from white or wholewheat flour) which stands up to spicy foods

Panne Toscano can be rubbed with garlic and olive oil

Leftover Panne Toscano is added to soup, stews or bread salad

Luccan olive oil

Bistecca alla fiorentina

Most meats are grilled or spit-roasted

Vegetables and fish are cooked carefully

Fritto del mare (seafood)

cacciucco (fish stew)

Pork, wild boar, guinea fowl, kid, and hare take their turn on grills and spits.

riso nero, black rice prepared with cuttlefish ink

and risotto alla toscana that includes livers and kidneys.

Dried white (haricot) beans are a staple and are prepared in soups with ribbon noodles, as a main dish with sage, tomatoes, and garlic, and sauteed with tomatoes and chunks of tuna fish.

agioli ncl fiasco is a dish of beans cooked in a flask.

Chianti Brolio is one of the great chianti wines.

One dessert is

Castagnaccio

Serves 8 people

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

3 Tbs. Sultana (golden) raisins

1/2 lb chestnut flour (you can find this at Whole Foods)

2 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for oiling the pan and drizzling on top

Pinch of salt

4 tsp. sugar

2 to 2 1/2 c cold water

3 Tbs. pine nuts (pignoli)

A few sprigs of rosemary

Soak the raisins for a few minutes in a small bowl with warm water. Mix the chestnut flour, oil, salt, sugar, and water (I used 2 c. of water, but you can add a little more according to your taste and the consistency of the batter). Drain the raisins and mix them into the batter, along with the pine nuts. Pour the batter into a greased 9″ diameter pan, 2″ deep. The batter will not rise during baking, so if you have a slightly different size pan on hand, that is fine too. Sprinkle the rosemary sprigs over the top of the batter and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 F for 1 hour. You’ll know it is ready when the surface is covered with little cracks. Cool, turn out onto a plate, and enjoy!

Wine Pairings (It is very difficult to pair wine with gazpacho). They tried a Vouvray (Vouvray can be "sec" (dry) or bubbling and is made from the Chenin grape from the Loire Valley near Tours in France.

The above blogger also suggests adding fresh crabmeat for special touch right before serving!!
Here is the link to the menu he referred to at Fisher Island Club in Miamihttp://www.fisherislandclub.com menu
Chilled Gazpacho Basil Sorbet
$7.00
With Lump Crab Meat $14.00

(I am sure it will taste just as good in the regular gazpacho as it would be in the sorbet)
Just in case here is a recipe for Gazpacho Sorbet below:Gazpacho basil sorbet

ciabatta and olive oil for dipping, and some herbed goat cheese for spreading on the bread or slices of bread rubbed in olive oil.

Something more substantial: a grilled chicken breast or quesadillas or a tortellini salad might be good, or orzo, or a green salad with white beans, lemon juice, and herbs. Even though gazpacho is all veggies and so salad probably isn't essential, I'd consider having one anyway just for variation in taste and texture on the plate.

Her love and specialty is international and ethnic cuisine. The purpose of the blogs she writes is to educate the public about ethnic foods worldwide.

She also takes nature photos.

In the Past, Christine took cooking and wine classes on several occasions in Pennsylvania at the Sweetwater Art Center in Sewickley, Pa, The Wooden Angel Restaurant in Beaver, PA and other sites.

Christine Willard is a retired Realtor from Greensboro and High Point North Carolina. She had been a real estate agent with Greater Triad Homes and Select Realty of the Triad (her own companies) and with major franchises such as Prudential, Century 21 and Re/Max She had been a real estate agent for 30 years. She specialized in home search, distressed properties, short sales, helping people avoid foreclosure and was an internet marketing specialist for sellers. She's has been married to her husband for 26 years.

She taught French and English in public education in Pennsylvania and Ohio for 23 years. She was Foreign Language Department Head and she helped create and write a foreign language pass/fail curriculum course for the PA Education Department which included equal modules of Spanish, French and German.

She recived a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University. She also studied at Bethany College, Youngstown State University, Robert Morris University and the University of Wisconsin where she did post-graduate work in France and French Canada.

Previously, Christine has lived in Germany, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Ohio, West Virginia and Michigan. She also has experience in public education (23 years) teaching French and English, secretarial services, modeling and public service. Her interests include classical music, jazz, gourmet cooking, wine, photography, reading, her family, her dogs and walking.

She has traveled to/and or lived in 10 countries and 26 states.

She owns over 500 cookbooks and 300 herbs and spices and loves to do research on cooking from other countries. She subscribes to several magazines featuring food articles and recipes. She has also created her own personal versions of herbs and spices.

Memberships and Designations.

In 1960 she receive the Secretary of the Month through New Castle Business College. She was a member of the National Association of Realtors, North Carolina of Realtors, the Triad MLS, the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association and the High Point Regional Realtors Association. She was a member of GRI (Graduate Realtors Institute), CRS (Certified Realtor Services), RECS (Real Estate Cyberspace Specialist), e-Pro (certified e-professional), LMC (Loan Mitigation Consultant and a PME (Property Marketing Expert).